Walter Piacesi biography

Walter Piacesi, born in Ascoli Piceno in 1929, was a versatile Italian painter, engraver, sculptor, and ceramist. After spending a long period in Ancona, in 1948 he moved to Urbino to attend the State Institute of Art for book decoration, where he later became the chair of Chalcography until 1975. In that year, he was invited to the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence to teach Engraving Techniques.
Walter Piacesi has created over two hundred plates and etchings, illustrating numerous literary works and exhibiting in renowned Italian art galleries. Among the galleries with which he has collaborated steadily for decades are Ghelfi in Verona and the Galleria Piero Della Francesca in Arezzo.
His fame as an excellent engraver has never overshadowed his intense and qualitative painting activity, characterized by a biting and sarcastic style. The artist loves to represent modern life in all its facets, from man to things, conveying both the positive and problematic sides of human existence. His subjects range from landscapes to urban outskirts, from animals to humans, from things to moments of social discomfort. His works tell stories and events with an unmistakable style, permeated by a subtle humor.
The woman is a dominant theme in his artistic production, represented in her explosive femininity without ever descending into vulgarity, often exalted and described as a multifaceted being, capable of evoking contrasting emotions.
His artwork has received acclaim from both critics and writers and poets, who have appreciated his ability to capture the essence of humanity and nature. Despite the success and fame, Walter Piacesi has always remained a humble and open artist, maintaining strong ties with his hometown and with Urbino. His artistic sensitivity is characterized by a gaze rich in humanity and tenderness, which allows him to represent the painful aspects of life with a smile behind the mask of pain. His style, stroke, and tone are unique and recognizable, belonging to the School of Urbino, of which he is a part along with other great artists like Paolo Sanchini, Umberto Franci, and Marcello Lani.
His artistic career is rich with participations in important exhibitions and shows both in Italy and abroad. Despite the numerous awards and recognitions received throughout his career, Walter Piacesi has always remained faithful to his passion for art and has continued to create with vitality, imagination, and disillusionment.
After more than 60 years of extraordinarily fruitful artistic activity, Walter Piacesi passed away in 2023 at Cà Spinello di Fermignano, in the countryside near Urbino, where he lived and worked permanently. His artwork will remain as a testament to a great talent and a sorrowful humanity expressed through art.